Keith Rubenstein to Bring Market Food Hall to South Bronx, Report

Keith Rubenstein’s Somerset Partners are expanding his food halls business. After Chelsea and the Meatpacking District, on Wednesday the real estate developer purchased a warehouse at 9 Bruckner Boulevard in the South Bronx, for $7.5 million.

Halman Enterprises had owned the Bronx warehouse site since 1997. It is located near a residential complex Rubinstein is already developing in partnership with the Chetrit Group – on 2401 Third Avenue and 101 Lincoln.

Rubenstein has told The Real Deal correspondent E.B. Solomont that he plans to convert the 16, 000-square-foot warehouse into a Gansevoort Market-style food hall which will go by the name Bruckner Market. The new market will include restaurants, a fresh food market, an outdoor beer garden and, possibly, even a microbrewery. The new Bruckner Market should open within 12 to 18 months.

According to The Real Deal, Rubenstein has put together a hospitality group and will own and operate all of the venues within Bruckner Market, including Filtered Coffee on 2430 Third Avenue, and an Italian restaurant, La Grata Pizoteca, which is planned for 136 Alexander Avenue.

Since launching is company in 2000, Rubenstein has acquired more than $2 billion worth of office and multifamily property nationwide.

The Bronx has seen a burst of development in the last couple of years: Youngwoo & Associates are working at 558 Grand Concourse, location of the Bronx General Post Office, to build a mixed-use office building that will include retail and a food court.

Also, Hornig Capital Partners and Savanna are developing an office project at 2417 Third Avenue.

Then earlier this week, Chef Massimo Bottura and his movie star partner Robert De Niro announced plans to open a dining hall concept in the neighbourhood.